Attorney General Michael Mukasey spoke today at a hearing concerning “Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice,” for the House Judiciary Committee. Although Mukasey was never sworn in, he defended the DOJ’s actions over the past few years and spoke about the changes they are making with voting rights, concerns over Guantanamo Bay and other domestic issues.

Mukasey spoke about the changes the DOJ has made with outreach and monitoring, they have been working with civil rights groups and state and local elections officials to identify and solve problems. Also, on election day, the DOJ will deploy hundreds of observers and monitors around the country, so that the American people have confidence in our electoral process.

Mukasey said that “I do feel that it is urgent to address the Boumediene v. Bush case,” because there is an ultimate risk that terrorists could be released in the United States from Guantanamo Bay. Congress and the Executive Branch are in a better position than the courts to create practical procedures and rules to govern the habeas corpus hearings required by the Supreme Court, procedures and rules that would both give the detainees what process they are due and accommodate the grave national security concerns involved, he said.

“We believe firmly in a comprehensive approach to law enforcement in stopping gang violence,” Mukasey said. The U.S. is facing on an international level more organized crime and the U.S. needs to do more, he said. On the issue of prison overcrowding, Mukasey said that federal prisons are handling the situation, but state prisons, especialy on the southern border are severely overcrowded.

The Washington Bureau will attend a discussion on “Can We Keep Space from Becoming a Shooting Gallery?” held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, along with the Third Annual Washington-Israel Summit held by Christians United for Israel. The bureau will also attend a press conference with Democratic Senators Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) who will discuss the Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act, and cover a conference call by Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) campaign team on Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) position in Iraq. (more…)

Attorney General Michael Mukasey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing on oversight of the Department of Justice. Mukasey was questioned about past and present ‘politicization’ of the department, openness of the department with its findings, and controversial new criteria he has implemented for launching investigations into suspected terrorist activity. (more…)

Attorney General Michael Mukasey explains that much of organized crime is now internet based at CSIS discussion on international organized crime. (0:55)

 

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Attorney General Michael Mukasey discusses the progression of organized crime organizations during his speech today at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. (0:29)

 

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Attorney General Michael Mukasey spoke before the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) about the challenges the US faces in combating the growing threat of international organized crime.

Mukasey’s speech focused on examining the many different types of threats the US faces, and what our government is doing to combat such threats. Mukasey noted that the enemy we face is constantly becoming more advanced, often using the internet and cyber technology to do things such as launder money and communicate with other criminal groups. He described international criminal organizations as “alive and well,” noting that organized crime groups deal with everything from smuggled cigarettes to manufacturing drugs.

The Attorney General emphasized that the government has been successful in foiling criminal plots in places such as New Jersey and Los Angeles, and talked about how our leaders have communicated with law enforcement agencies abroad to stop more crime from emerging around the world.

Mukasey said that by prioritizing the threats of criminal groups facing our nation (he suggested we worry about the greatest risks facing us first), and by having our governmental agencies share information about crime amongst one another, we can continue to succeed in keeping America safe.

In a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Feinstein questioned Attorney General Mike Mukasey about a Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel memo allegedly arguing that the 4th Amendment’s prohibition of warrantless, unreasonable searches and seizures. Mukasey responds that his statement that the 4th Amendment applies “across the board” is not newsworthy, saying that his understanding of the memo is not that it argued the 4th Amendment did not apply. (0:40)

 

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In a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Feinstein questioned Attorney General Mike Mukasey about a Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel memo allegedly arguing that the 4th Amendment’s prohibition of warrantless, unreasonable searches and seizures. Mukasey initially avoided answering by saying that he was unaware of any domestic military operations, but he then said that the 4th Amendment applies “across the board.” (0:41)

 

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Attorney General Mukasey responds to a question when asked if adding more man power to the FBI is the best course of action (1:20)

 

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Attorney General Mukasey says that government employees do not get immunity unless they received a direct notification from the government and the president that they were being asked to do something “that was lawful and that served national security,” or they were unaware of their involvement. (1:11)

 

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